Keep Europe moving: a transport policy for
sustainable mobility

The European Commission adopted today the orientation for the future EU
transport policy. Mobility is essential for Europe’s prosperity and for
free movement of citizens. The negative impact of mobility in terms of energy
use and environmental quality must be reduced. Next to actions foreseen in the
2001 White Paper, such as boosting rail and maritime connections for long
distance freight transport, additional instruments will be needed to achieve
these objectives. They include a freight logistics action plan; intelligent
transport systems to make mobility greener and more efficient; a debate on how
to change mobility of people in urban areas; an action plan to boost inland
waterways; and an ambitious programme for green power in trucks and
cars.

Commission Vice President in charge of Transport, Jacques Barrot, said:
“Mobility is essential for free movement of European citizens and
economic growth. The EU will continue to boost rail and waterways for long
distance connections. We also need to step up our efforts to make road transport
and aviation more efficient and greener. That is why I want to focus on
logistics, green propulsion and intelligent transport systems which use the
latest technologies”.

The orientations of the transport policy outlined in the review build upon
the 2001 White Paper. They include actions to create a competitive European
railway network through liberalisation, technological innovation and
interoperability of equipment, investment in infrastructure and better market
monitoring with a new scoreboard from 2007 onwards. Motorways of the sea and
short sea shipping need to be developed with an increased emphasis on landward
connections. The European ports policy, which will be launched in 2007, will
have as one of its goals increased investment within ports and towards the
hinterland.

Smart charging will contribute to a more rational use of infrastructure. The
review announces a methodology as a basis for smart infrastructure charging by
2008. There is also a continuation of measures to improve security and safety in
various modes. Measures must be stepped up to reach the target of halving the
number of people killed on EU roads between 2001 and 2010. A European road
safety day will be organised from 2007 onwards to raise awareness and an
integrated road safety approach will target vehicle design, infrastructure and
driver behaviour. Protection of passenger rights must also be enhanced, most
notably in all transport modes for people with limited mobility.

The instruments of the 2001 White Paper must be adapted to a new context of
an enlarged Europe, rising petrol prices, Kyoto commitments and globalisation. A
European sustainable mobility policy needs more policy tools to optimise the
performance of each transport mode and their combined use. The Commission wants
to adopt a logistics action plan in 2007 in order to create better synergies
between road, sea, rail and river, and integrate various transport modes in
logistics chains. This will give the industry a competitive edge but also
diminish the environmental impact per unit of freight.

The review puts an increased emphasis on intelligent transport systems. There
is no reason why ships, trucks, cars and trains would not have the same
sophisticated communication and navigation tools as aircrafts. Real-time
management of traffic flows and capacity use as well as tracking will cut costs,
improve environmental quality and improve security. Galileo will play a key role
to promote new technologies.

Transport accounts for 30% of total energy consumption and 71% of total oil
consumption in the EU. The road accounts for 60% of total oil consumption. In
order to reduce oil dependence and make transport more sustainable, the
Commission will present in 2007 a strategic technology plan for energy and in
2009 a major programme on green-powered vehicles.

Today’s review calls for more ambitious actions to change mobility in
Europe’s urban areas. The Commission will launch a debate on urban
transport policy in 2007 through a Green Paper. The EU can play the role of a
catalyst to encourage decision-makers to better tackle congestion, pollution and
accidents with innovative actions. As part of the debate, a clear view will be
needed on what level of government is responsible for new actions.The
achievements of the past years are positive but more instruments are needed. The
policy directions outlined in the White Paper review will be refined on the
basis of public consultation with all interested parties and forward-looking
studies on transport scenarios of the future.http://ec.europa.eu/transport/transport_policy_review/index_en.htm

ANNEX

Actions

The Commission plans on deploying a number of concrete actions. Among others
these include:

a. Optimisation of existing transport modes

An internal market review of road transport to ensure the proper functioning
of the market, determine the role of SME’s, and provide an analysis of the
social elements involved (2006)

Launch European ports policy (2007)

Removal of technical barriers in rail transport to ensure interoperability
between companies. Programme to promote rail freight corridors and prepare a
review of the internal market in rail transport (2006), with a scoreboard for
market performance of rail (2007)

A review of air transport liberalisation measures, airport charges and
capacity (2006)

A mobilisation of all sources of infrastructure financing; multi-annual
investment programme up to 2013 for Trans-European networks

b.
Mobility for the citizen

Publication of a Green Paper on Urban Transport (2007)

Development of a strategy for critical infrastructure (2006), land and
public transport security (2007), and review air and maritime security rules
(2008)

Passenger rights: proposal on minimum standards for coach transport, notably
for people with limited mobility (2007)

A first European road safety day (2007); promotion of road safety through
vehicle design and technology, infrastructure and drive behaviour (on a
continuing basis)

Review legislation on working conditions in road sector
(2007)

c. Better transport solutions through new
technologies

Development of a freight transport logistics strategy, as well as the launch
of a broad debate on possible preparation of an EU action plan for 2007

Energy and transport: strategic technology plan for energy in 2007 and green
propulsion programme for 2009

Technology: RTD and support to market penetration, including big technology
projects such as Galileo and ERTMS which should be implemented on certain
corridors from 2009 onwards.